I’m not the craftiest person on the earth, but I occasionally get the urge to try. I was on a prayer team at the time and created patches for us to wear on our lanyards so people would know who the pray-ers were. We should all be people who pray for and with each other, but that was our specific “job” at an event. We were there to be available for anyone who wanted someone to pray with them. I remember one time in particular where there were three of us at the front after a session and there was a waiting line for all of us to hear their requests and pray with them on the spot. It was almost overwhelming to see the need, but also a blessing to be used of God in this way.
I found that most of the people who came up to me for prayer were not in a peaceful spot and their prayer requests were for comfort, calm, and peace in the midst of their tough situations. Are you the kind of person whom people feel free to approach and ask for prayer? Today I’d like to suggest some ways of being intentional in prayer that may help you and your church create meaningful prayer connections and help to impart peace to those who are hurting.
Prayer Request Box – That seems to be one of the first connection points that is established. While it works for some people, it doesn’t for others…especially if there is no further contact. Once the person drops a request in the box, how do they know who, if anyone, is really praying for their request, and what if they really need to talk about it or update it?
Prayer Chains – Prayer chains are great if everyone who signed up is indeed willing to stop and take that prayer request to the Lord in prayer when it arrives in their email inbox or voicemail. But does it end there??? ALL requests presented should be shared no matter how insignificant they may seem to one person; obviously they are important to the one who shared them. Remember how Jesus told the Disciples to let the little children come to Him, even though they were ready to shoo them away. It was His way of saying they are important, too.
Point of Contact – There needs to be one point of contact for incoming prayer requests and the same person sending them out. In a lot of churches it is the pastor who is already busy. He definitely needs to be in the loop, but assigning that point of contact to someone who is really into interceding for people can be not only a help to him but also an opportunity for that person to minister to needs by connecting further.
Prayer Team – Of course anyone can pray and anyone can ask anyone to pray, but having one or two people designated as a prayer team for each Sunday before and after the services can be a great relief to many. I was on a prayer team such as this at one church and it gave me opportunity to share, pray, and minister to people who I would not have normally interacted with on a regular basis. There may be an individual who wants to share a prayer request, but they’re new or shy and won’t just walk up to anyone. If there is a designated prayer person, they might be more likely to approach that person.
Prompts – When sending out prayer requests, it is good to have a Scripture verse or quote that encourages prayer and gives the receiver a springboard for praying for that request, maybe even a suggestion of how you might want to pray.
Acknowledgement of Requests – It is so important to respond to requests given. If it is by a prayer request card or an email, acknowledgement lets the requestor know that their request has been received and is being given attention. There are several ways of doing that which I have found are very well received by others. One is a written personal prayer for the situation in the request and the person or persons involved as well as the one who made the request. Another is a Scripture verse to encourage the recipient, and for that I like to go to the internet and find a picture with the verse on it. The picture brings cheer and focus to the recipient as they meditate on the verse in the picture. Quotes from reputable Christians are good, too, but Scripture is always best.
Question for Follow-up – When the prayer point of contact person acknowledges the request, it helps to know if further contact is desired. You can ask if they would like a visit or a phone call, or if they would like to be connected with someone who will pray with them on the phone or in person. It’s also good to ask if there’s anything else they need help with (such as transportation, meals, or a babysitter). Most people hesitate to ask for help when they’re overwhelmed with a situation, but if you ask, they will usually tell you.
A Prayer Meeting – A prayer meeting can be valuable for those who are intercessors, but not so much for the pew person. A prayer meeting that spends more time talking about the requests than praying for them is in trouble. The purpose of a prayer meeting is to bring the needs before God in prayer, not to discuss the reasons why things happen, the people involved, or what a person thinks they should do. Something I heard in one prayer meeting really turned me off as an intercessor and more so as one who shared a request. “This is just between us but…” Don’t talk about the people in the requests; just pray! It’s good to perhaps sing a song or read a few verses of Scripture or a SHORT devotion to focus, but that should not be the primary reason for gathering together as intercessors, and if it takes up too much time, people can get antsy because they come to pray. We’re all busy and I don’t mind spending time in prayer, but then let’s get busy praying.
Pray WITH the Person – Never say I’ll be praying for you and walk away. Stop and pray WITH the person right then, joining hands if possible and a quick hug after. That can be so extremely meaningful and comforting.
“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people.”
I Timothy 2:1